Electrical system to be fitted to a top hat rail

ABSTRACT

Electrical apparatus comprising a base which can accommodate a constituent member, and which can be fitted to a holding rail, in particular a top hat-type rail, via a locking device with two opposite fastening catches ( 30 ), one of which is joined to a slide ( 31 ).  
     A manual unlocking device on the slide comprises a lever ( 40 ) pivoting around at least one bearing having an axis perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide, the bearing being located near the back ( 21 ) of the base. The lever ( 40 ) cooperates with the slide ( 31 ) via a cam device guiding through a slide track an axis ( 44 ) parallel to the bearing.

[0001] This invention concerns an electrical apparatus comprising a baseto be fitted to a holding rail, in particular a top hat rail, withopposing coplanar arms, the base being fitted with a locking systemhaving two opposing fastening catches each intended to hook onto arespective arm of the rail, at least one of the catches being joined toa slide capable of sliding in a specific direction, crosswise to thelength of the rail, and which can be moved using a manual unlockingdevice.

[0002] Document FR 2 730 353 shows a device for locking an electricalsystem on a holding rail, this device comprising two catches interlinkedby a spacer frame of which the elastic deformation may be caused via apull tab accessible from the front. The device is disengaged from therail via a lateral pull tab that is not easy to operate. Moreover, thisdevice cannot suitably and securely accommodate another device being apart of an electrical apparatus having a base, in particular aprocessing module, a terminal unit, etc., removably fixed to the base.

[0003] The purpose of the invention is to fix a base to a holding railbut enable the base to be unlocked, on the one hand, via a user-friendlysystem and, on the other hand, using means capable of securing theaddition of another component member of the apparatus on the base.

[0004] According to the invention, the manual unlocking device comprisesa lever pivoted around at least one bearing having an axis perpendicularto the sliding direction of the slide, the bearing being, in particular,located near the back side of the base, and the lever cooperates withthe slide via a cam device fitted with a slide track guiding an axisparallel to the axis of the bearing. The lever can preferably bemaintained by holding means in its locking and unlocking positions.

[0005] In this way, the lever can offer a manoeuvring arm which isunobtrusive in the locking position and projects forward in theunlocking position, in order to cooperate with the rear side of themodule, to prevent mounting of the module on the base in the unlockingposition and enable it to be mounted in the locking position. The twocatches are preferably movable, by being joined to slides symmetricalrelation to a mid-planeof the base, the lever cooperating with theslides via two symmetrical cams and axes.

[0006] slide track should preferably be integrated into the lever andthe slide is provided with the axis guided in the slide track, this axisbeing guided in a slit or groove in the base which extends in accordancewith the sliding direction of the slide.

[0007] Where the base comprises rigid back walls, it is advisable forthe slide to be moulded with the back, and to be separated from rigidback walls by slits. The back may have two hollow parts intended toaccommodate the arms of the top hat rail and the lever part fitted withcam sliding tracks projects backwards between the hollow parts.

[0008] There is a description below of an embodiment of the invention,accompanied by attached drawings

[0009]FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a modular apparatus in accordancewith the invention.

[0010]FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the central section of the base of theapparatus shownin FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a front view of the base with the lever in the lockingposition.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a side view of the base the lever beingshown in itslocking position (in full lines) and in its unlocking position (inbroken lines).

[0013]FIGS. 5 and 6 show front and side views of the unlocked lever.

[0014]FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing lever and one of theslidescombined with the lever.

[0015] The apparatus illustrated in the figures comprises severalelectronic modules 10 to be nested or otherwise fitted and snapped ontothe individual bases 20 which can themselves be adjacently snap-lockedvia all usual means on to a top hat holding rail. As a variant, severalmodules 10 can be nested in the adjacent housing spaces arranged in asame and unique base. The top hat rail R has a standard rail sectionwith two opposing arms R1, R2 and extends along a direction X. When thesystem is in its operating mode, the module is fitted to the base.

[0016] Each module 10 comprises a casing 11 with a front side 11 a and arear side(11 b. On the front side 11 a can be fined a terminal block 12for external connection to automatism electrical members to becontrolled or monitored, connections 14 being provided on the front side11 a to cooperate with respective connections or contacts on theterminal block 12. Rear contacts or connection elements 13 are providedon the rear side 11 b of the casing.

[0017] The base 20 determines a housing for the rear section of themodule 10. It comprises a back 21 lateral walls in the form of verticalpartitions 25, 26 and an upper wall(27 and lower wall 28, bothhorizontal. The base 21 is fitted with an elastic locking device 30 tobe fastened on the rail R.

[0018] The back 21 has front connections 23 adapted to cooperate withthe contacts 13 of module 10 when the base is locked on the rail(R. Thebase also has lateral contacts 24 which are used to transmit bus signalsto or from the modules and supply voltage for the modules or theautomation members. The walls 25-28 comprise faces, slide elements orother guiding elements facilitating the introduction of the module. Thepartitions 25, 26 are provided with recesses 29 which cooperate withratchets, elastic parts or other securing forms 15 provided on themodule. The forms 15 can be manoeuvred, for example, via two upper andlower pushers, 16 in order to lock the module 10 in a position embeddedin the base 20, and in this position the modulefits between the walls25-28.

[0019] The locking device 30 comprises two opposing securing catches 30,(30-1, 30-2), each linked to a slide 31, (31-1, 31-2), such as a bar ortab, which can be moved in a vertica directionZ, corresponding to thelength of the base 20, and which runs perpendicular to X. At the endopposite to the mid-plane P of the base, each slide is connected to arigid section 32 of the baseback 21 in the form of a hinged connection,this connection, however, allowing movement of the slide. The slide 31is made up of a section of the base 21, separated from rigid partitions33 of the back by slits 34 extending in direction Z.

[0020] The locking device 30 comprises an unlocking system made up of alever 40 pivoted around a bearing axis X1 parallel to direction X. Thelever 40 offers, to this end, lateral bearing pins41 pivoted inapertures of the back 21. The lever has a manual control arm 42 and amain pivot body fitted with two cam slide tracks 43 in each of which anaxis 44 can be moved along a direction X2, X3 parallel to X and engaged,on the one hand, in a cylindrical hole 35 of the respective slide 31and, on the other hand, in oblong grooves or slits 36, extending indirection Z, and provided for in lugs 37 of the back. The lugs 37 andmain pivot body with the slide tracks 43 project backwards into anintermediate area between the housing zones 38 for the rail R1, R2, thisprojection being housed in the central recess of the rail. The leverthus occupies a very small space in the back part of the base.

[0021] A return pin spring 39 is associated to one of the slides 31-2,and buttressed against such slide to push it towards plane P.

[0022] As FIG. 4 shows, the rear wall 11 b of the electronic moduleabuts against the operating arm 42 of the lever 40 when the lever is inits generally horizontal unlocking position (depicted in broken lines).The wall 11 b, however, allows the module to be secured to the base andconnection of contacts 13 and 21 when the arm 42 is moved to itsgenerally vertical locking position (in full lines). Similarly, when themodule is fixed and connected, the base 20 cannot be unlockedfrom therail R.

[0023] The operation of the locking device described is then specifiedin conjunction with FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0024] As the lever 40 is in the unlocking position (FIGS. 5 and 6, orbroken lines in FIG. 4) and is held in this position viastress-threshold hard or snap-lockelements, the slides are thenseparated (see position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4) and the basecan thus be applied on the arms of rail R; the operator can thus pivotthe lever into its locking position (see position in broken lines inFIG. 4) and the slides hook onto the edges of the arms, this movementbeing assisted by spring 38. The lever is held in this position by ahard or snap-lock element. The module can then be engaged into the baseand connected and secured to it insofar as the lever 40 is in theunlocked position, it is not possible to slide and connect theelectronic module 10 in the base 20 (see this position as illustrated inbroken lines in FIG. 4).

1. Electrical apparatus comprising a base to be fitted to a holdingrail, in particular a top hat rail, with opposing coplanar arms, thebase being able to accommodate a component member of the apparatus andfitted with a locking device having two opposing catches (30) eachintended to hook onto a respective arm of the rail, at least one of thecatches being joined to a slide (31) capable of sliding in a direction(Z) and which can be moved by a manual unlocking member, wherein themanual unlocking device comprises a lever (40) pivoted around at leastone bearing pin(41) having an axis (X1) perpendicular to the slidingdirection (Z) of the slide, the lever (40) cooperates with the slide bar(31) via a cam device guiding through a slide track an axis (44)parallel to the bearing axis (X1).
 2. Electrical apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the bearing (41) of the pivoting lever (40) is locatednear the back (21) of the base.
 3. Electrical apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the two catches (31-1, 30-2) are movable, and arejoined to slides (31-1, 31-2) that are symmetrical in relation to amid-plane (P) of the base, the lever (40) cooperating with the slidesvia two cams and symmetrical axes (43, 44).
 4. Electrical apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the lever (40) is integrated into the camsliding track (43) and the slide (31) comprises the axis (44) guided inthe sliding track.
 5. Electrical apparatus according to claim 4, whereinthe axis (44) of the slide (31) is guided in a slit or groove (36) inthe base (20), which extends in the sliding direction (Z) of the slide.6. Electrical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base (20)comprises a rigid back wall and the slide is moulded with the back wall,it being separated from rigid partitions (33) of the back wall by slits(34).
 7. Electrical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a return pinspring (39) is associated to one of the slides (31-2).
 8. Electricalapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the back wall (21) offers twohousing spaces (38) Intended to accommodate the arms of the top hat railand the lever part provided with the cam slide tracks (43) projectsbackwards between these housing spaces.
 9. Electrical apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the lever (40) is held in its unlockingposition and its locking position via a force-threshold securing system.10. Electrical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the systemcomprises an electronic module (10) removably fastened to the base (20),the pivoting lever (40) having a manoeuvring arm which is unobtrusive ina locking position and projects forward in an unlocking position, inorder to cooperate with a rear side of the module to prevent the moduleto be mounted on the base in the unlocking position and enabling themodule to be mounted in the locking position.